Earplugs

Earplugs. Get some. Wear them.

The trouble with the sort of hearing damage that results from prolonged exposure to 100 dB SPL (and up) sound is that people often won't notice anything for a decade or so. Then, problems understanding speech in noisy environments starts to creep up. Eventually, hearing aids are necessary, and they don't work so well.

On a related note, I'd suggest wearing earplugs whenever you're going to be in a loud environment. New research suggests that the OSHA standards for noise exposure were developed using a methodology that underestimates the damage to the nerve fibers and neurons in the inner ear.

 

No one knew, or was smart enough, to wear them when I was a kid growing up at the drag strip. I pay the price now.

My son wouldn't wear them racing mini's as he said they hurt him, probably small ear canal with adult size foam ear plug. I stupidly didn't force him, since the speeds were low (wind noise) and bikes were reasonably quiet.

This off-season, I told him no ear plugs no racing, so we had a custom set made. He loves it, no pain or discomfort and he doesn't know how he raced without them. Had them made at the IMS show in Long Beach by Ear Defenders. I think the show special was around $50.

 

I use the same Howard Leight Max foam earplugs I wear at work for track riding. I ordered a box of them off eBay a couple of years ago and still have a few leftovers, and I use them for everything that I know will be loud: lawnmowers, concerts, anything.

For street riding I either wear the foam plugs from work or a set of Shure E3C earphones when listening to the iPod, which are basically foam earplugs with small earbuds built into them, so I can still hear the music without having to turn it up.

 

I forgot to put my earplugs in and went out for first practice at my first time at Barber. I thought there was something wrong with my bike coming out of 3 next to the wall it was so loud. Putting in the plugs fixed the bike . I just can't stand hearing all the extraneous noises from the bike that distract me from noticing what is going on.

Get them and wear them. I usually use the foam ones, but sometimes I use the silicone ones. It doesn't seem to make any difference for me.

Ken

 

i have been searching for a vendor for those custom ones, that pour them into your ear etc. i guess i should have gone to the show. crap. googling ear defenders comes up with a ton of nonsense. :down:

 

:up:

I damaged my ears by being young (a.k.a. stupid) and playing in bands and going to shows without wearing hearing protection.

Now I'm older (still stupid, unfortunately) and study hearing... and know all too well how messed up my hearing is.

 

Oh yeah, the earplug thread. Forgot about that.

To answer the question from the first page as to why I don't wear them:

I don't like them. I don't like having something in my ear. I think I may have an odd shaped ear canal and the damn things start to weasel their way out and it's distracting. Also, my bike, although somewhat loud, has a very low exhaust note. It doesn't seem to bother me that bad.

If I were to lose my ability to hear people, it may be a blessing.

Oh, just to bring up another subject... I don't like riding with a mouth guard either. I hate those too.








(PSA for the new racers: I do wear top quality leathers, helmet, gloves, boots, back and chest protector though.)

 

Any audiologist can fit them for you, but they're usually more expensive than the folks at the MC show. Who knows, maybe you can say you can get them cheaper and bargain with them.

 

To address Dits comment above, its not the exhaust noise that will get you (although that's a contributor) its the wind noise in your helmet at a buck fifty. I started without them, but use them all the time now and wouldn't ride without them, even on my street bike.

We have our hearing tested at work and I have some high frequency loss. The only question is, was it caused by racing motorcycles, shooting guns, loud music, or working in loud environments that caused it?

 

Try the custom molded ones. I can't stand the regular ones either but sometimes have to wear them at work. Took a chance on the custom ones, and I don't even know they are in except for the lack of sound.

 

I would think the only way it would mess with your equilibrium is if your only
used one. I also wear earplugs. I get all messed up if I forget them. Sounds like my bike is going to blow up, lol. I put them in the visor of my helmet, luckily no one touches them!

 

I know a guy that makes them here in Cleveland for a good price.

 

.. for someone I thought was a pretty smart guy, your sounding ..well..not so smart.. And going on about how you hate them is potentially gonna put a new rider at risk. I may not speak for everyone, but I would appreciate it if you would stop that line of reasoning counselor. The motor noise is only PART of the noise issue, it is also the wind noise. Now, i KNOW your on a little twin that just doesn't go that fast but wind noise is downright anoying over the course of a race, and fatiguing.

 

I to have never worn them riding... when I had my bike tuned I didn't realize how retardedly loud my bike is and around 12k I couldn't even hear it...... mark ledesma gave me a pair of foam ones to wear and (although still loud as shit) helped greatly! since I've yet to wear them while ridin I'm kind of nervous to start on my first race but if you all say it helps that much I will give them a shot. I ride by sound n feel, as I'm sure most of you do. I could care less what the tac says, I just don't want to have to re learn my bikes "voice" for lack of better words.

 

I started wearing them last year and wondered why I didnt start long ago.
I also wear them at night when sleeping. I drive a truck and truckstops are notoriously loud with trucks idling and cruising around. I can still hear my alarm go off.
Also wear them at home with the missus. ( she is a wheezer ).

 

My son does too. All his mini's didn't have a tach that worked, he shifted by feel/sound. His 125 does have a tach that he looks at for help with gearing. We just got a SV650 and it doesn't have a tach.

He loves the custom ear plugs, but hated the foam roll up kind. He got used to the ear plugs the first day and can't imagine riding without them now. He first used them in January 2011 at the WERA race.

 

i'm surprised this can even be a discussion.
can't imagine being on the track without 'em.

 

you're

 

Something most people don't realize is that hearing loss is cumulative. Just because it doesn't seem that loud, that doesn't mean it isn't doing hearing damage and when exposed to it often, for 15-20min at a time, it will definitely cause hearing damage.

 

Anybody that doesn't have earplugs and wants to try some, or normally wears them but doesn't have any with them, feel free to come by my pit and get some.



...even you Dits.